Sense and Sensibility
Sun, 14 July 2002, 10:44 pmWalter Plinge1 post in thread
Sense and Sensibility
Sun, 14 July 2002, 10:44 pmBethne and I saw this lovely little play on Saturday. I'd seen the movie, and been somewhat underwhelmed by its leisurely pace... so I was delightfully surprised to be so charmingly entertained by Ailsa Travers' pacy, amusing and entrancing production.
I wholeheartedly support the brief comments by Christine, but would like to add a couple. The set was very cleverly created, presenting us - most credibly - with no less than four vastly different rooms with a minimum of fuss. The last change got a well-deserved round of applause. The attention to detail in the decor is to be highly commended. And congratulations to the artist who did all those paintings! The use of a faded backdrop on a traveller for the outdoor scene was also imaginative and well worth the effort.
Costumes were up to Jann Rutherford's and Ailsa's typically high standards and were well-balanced. They did much to complement the various characters.
One of the highlights of the evening was the effective use of music, both during and overlapping the scenes. The pieces were exceptionally well-chosen and invariably underscored the mood of the moment to perfection. Well done Lawrence for your selection - and also Graeme Ringrose for delivering it all so flawlessly on the night.
The casting was excellent and the individual characterisations were well-defined. I was pleased to see they didn't attempt to mimic the movie - to our collective benefit. I was delighted by Michael Hogden's Colonel Brandon. We smiled at him, but we loved him - and we so wanted Marianne to come to her senses and marry him! The other stand-out for me was Peter Clark as Edward. Just the right amount of bumbling, without overdoing it. We did so feel for him.
The two sisters were indeed excellent. Lots of fire in the younger, counterbalanced by the easy poise of the elder. Well done, Claire and Kathryn - so young, and sooo... much talent!
Mark Steele managed to make us despise Willoughby - as was his task; and he made a particularly convincing drunk. And Jessica O'Gorman's Lucy was just sufficiently irritating - any more would have been too painful.
Margaret Mirfin Smith's Aunt Jennings grew with the play - and by the last couple of scenes we just adored her!
Couple of tiny things.... I felt the ladies were just a little too ready to touch the men. I would have preferred a little more restraint. I thought we didn't quite empathise with Elinor enough - she hid her pain too well, even from the audience. The accents were beautifully even, so the absence of an appropriate one for Willoughby jarred a little. In the scene in front of the curtains, near the end (just before the storm) some of that delightful incidental music under the dialogue would have helped to hide the "noises off" of the scene-change. Oh and the sound of horses was uncharacteristically unsubtle.
But these are trivia. On the whole, it is an excellent production, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to one and all. You'll laugh, you'll smile; you may even weep for a moment or two - and you will surely be entertained with great charm.
Well done, Stirling Players!
I wholeheartedly support the brief comments by Christine, but would like to add a couple. The set was very cleverly created, presenting us - most credibly - with no less than four vastly different rooms with a minimum of fuss. The last change got a well-deserved round of applause. The attention to detail in the decor is to be highly commended. And congratulations to the artist who did all those paintings! The use of a faded backdrop on a traveller for the outdoor scene was also imaginative and well worth the effort.
Costumes were up to Jann Rutherford's and Ailsa's typically high standards and were well-balanced. They did much to complement the various characters.
One of the highlights of the evening was the effective use of music, both during and overlapping the scenes. The pieces were exceptionally well-chosen and invariably underscored the mood of the moment to perfection. Well done Lawrence for your selection - and also Graeme Ringrose for delivering it all so flawlessly on the night.
The casting was excellent and the individual characterisations were well-defined. I was pleased to see they didn't attempt to mimic the movie - to our collective benefit. I was delighted by Michael Hogden's Colonel Brandon. We smiled at him, but we loved him - and we so wanted Marianne to come to her senses and marry him! The other stand-out for me was Peter Clark as Edward. Just the right amount of bumbling, without overdoing it. We did so feel for him.
The two sisters were indeed excellent. Lots of fire in the younger, counterbalanced by the easy poise of the elder. Well done, Claire and Kathryn - so young, and sooo... much talent!
Mark Steele managed to make us despise Willoughby - as was his task; and he made a particularly convincing drunk. And Jessica O'Gorman's Lucy was just sufficiently irritating - any more would have been too painful.
Margaret Mirfin Smith's Aunt Jennings grew with the play - and by the last couple of scenes we just adored her!
Couple of tiny things.... I felt the ladies were just a little too ready to touch the men. I would have preferred a little more restraint. I thought we didn't quite empathise with Elinor enough - she hid her pain too well, even from the audience. The accents were beautifully even, so the absence of an appropriate one for Willoughby jarred a little. In the scene in front of the curtains, near the end (just before the storm) some of that delightful incidental music under the dialogue would have helped to hide the "noises off" of the scene-change. Oh and the sound of horses was uncharacteristically unsubtle.
But these are trivia. On the whole, it is an excellent production, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to one and all. You'll laugh, you'll smile; you may even weep for a moment or two - and you will surely be entertained with great charm.
Well done, Stirling Players!
Walter PlingeSun, 14 July 2002, 10:44 pm
Bethne and I saw this lovely little play on Saturday. I'd seen the movie, and been somewhat underwhelmed by its leisurely pace... so I was delightfully surprised to be so charmingly entertained by Ailsa Travers' pacy, amusing and entrancing production.
I wholeheartedly support the brief comments by Christine, but would like to add a couple. The set was very cleverly created, presenting us - most credibly - with no less than four vastly different rooms with a minimum of fuss. The last change got a well-deserved round of applause. The attention to detail in the decor is to be highly commended. And congratulations to the artist who did all those paintings! The use of a faded backdrop on a traveller for the outdoor scene was also imaginative and well worth the effort.
Costumes were up to Jann Rutherford's and Ailsa's typically high standards and were well-balanced. They did much to complement the various characters.
One of the highlights of the evening was the effective use of music, both during and overlapping the scenes. The pieces were exceptionally well-chosen and invariably underscored the mood of the moment to perfection. Well done Lawrence for your selection - and also Graeme Ringrose for delivering it all so flawlessly on the night.
The casting was excellent and the individual characterisations were well-defined. I was pleased to see they didn't attempt to mimic the movie - to our collective benefit. I was delighted by Michael Hogden's Colonel Brandon. We smiled at him, but we loved him - and we so wanted Marianne to come to her senses and marry him! The other stand-out for me was Peter Clark as Edward. Just the right amount of bumbling, without overdoing it. We did so feel for him.
The two sisters were indeed excellent. Lots of fire in the younger, counterbalanced by the easy poise of the elder. Well done, Claire and Kathryn - so young, and sooo... much talent!
Mark Steele managed to make us despise Willoughby - as was his task; and he made a particularly convincing drunk. And Jessica O'Gorman's Lucy was just sufficiently irritating - any more would have been too painful.
Margaret Mirfin Smith's Aunt Jennings grew with the play - and by the last couple of scenes we just adored her!
Couple of tiny things.... I felt the ladies were just a little too ready to touch the men. I would have preferred a little more restraint. I thought we didn't quite empathise with Elinor enough - she hid her pain too well, even from the audience. The accents were beautifully even, so the absence of an appropriate one for Willoughby jarred a little. In the scene in front of the curtains, near the end (just before the storm) some of that delightful incidental music under the dialogue would have helped to hide the "noises off" of the scene-change. Oh and the sound of horses was uncharacteristically unsubtle.
But these are trivia. On the whole, it is an excellent production, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to one and all. You'll laugh, you'll smile; you may even weep for a moment or two - and you will surely be entertained with great charm.
Well done, Stirling Players!
I wholeheartedly support the brief comments by Christine, but would like to add a couple. The set was very cleverly created, presenting us - most credibly - with no less than four vastly different rooms with a minimum of fuss. The last change got a well-deserved round of applause. The attention to detail in the decor is to be highly commended. And congratulations to the artist who did all those paintings! The use of a faded backdrop on a traveller for the outdoor scene was also imaginative and well worth the effort.
Costumes were up to Jann Rutherford's and Ailsa's typically high standards and were well-balanced. They did much to complement the various characters.
One of the highlights of the evening was the effective use of music, both during and overlapping the scenes. The pieces were exceptionally well-chosen and invariably underscored the mood of the moment to perfection. Well done Lawrence for your selection - and also Graeme Ringrose for delivering it all so flawlessly on the night.
The casting was excellent and the individual characterisations were well-defined. I was pleased to see they didn't attempt to mimic the movie - to our collective benefit. I was delighted by Michael Hogden's Colonel Brandon. We smiled at him, but we loved him - and we so wanted Marianne to come to her senses and marry him! The other stand-out for me was Peter Clark as Edward. Just the right amount of bumbling, without overdoing it. We did so feel for him.
The two sisters were indeed excellent. Lots of fire in the younger, counterbalanced by the easy poise of the elder. Well done, Claire and Kathryn - so young, and sooo... much talent!
Mark Steele managed to make us despise Willoughby - as was his task; and he made a particularly convincing drunk. And Jessica O'Gorman's Lucy was just sufficiently irritating - any more would have been too painful.
Margaret Mirfin Smith's Aunt Jennings grew with the play - and by the last couple of scenes we just adored her!
Couple of tiny things.... I felt the ladies were just a little too ready to touch the men. I would have preferred a little more restraint. I thought we didn't quite empathise with Elinor enough - she hid her pain too well, even from the audience. The accents were beautifully even, so the absence of an appropriate one for Willoughby jarred a little. In the scene in front of the curtains, near the end (just before the storm) some of that delightful incidental music under the dialogue would have helped to hide the "noises off" of the scene-change. Oh and the sound of horses was uncharacteristically unsubtle.
But these are trivia. On the whole, it is an excellent production, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to one and all. You'll laugh, you'll smile; you may even weep for a moment or two - and you will surely be entertained with great charm.
Well done, Stirling Players!